Young Vs. Kendrick In Carson
Robert Kendrick is the first to admit he hasn’t had a very satisfying 2010. But the former Pepperdine All-American and USTA pro circuit veteran thinks a spot in the LA Open Men’s $50,000 Challenger finals is just what he needs to turn his season around.
“I haven’t played my best tennis this year,” said the 30-year-old Kendrick, who grew up in Fresno but now resides in Orlando, Fla., after his 7-6 (1), 6-3 win over Canada’s Peter Polansky in the semifinals of the USTA pro circuit event at the Home Depot Center. “Hopefully, things will start to turn around for me. I’m playing Ojai next week then it’s over to Wimbledon to try and qualifying there. I’m still a ways away from getting right into the big events. But we’ll see.”
Kendrick is currently ranked No. 156 in the world and is the No. 5 seeded player at Carson . He played in all four Grand Slams in 2009 advancing to the second round at the French Open and U.S. Open.
He’s familiar with his final opponent as he has played 20-year-old Donald Young eight times since they first met in the Calabasas Challenger final won by Kendrick back in 2007. They have split the eight previous meetings. Young, the No. 4 seed, won the right to shoot for a third consecutive win over Kendrick by rallying to beat Lester Cook in the other semifinal, 3-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Young beat Kendrick in the quarterfinals of the Honolulu event earlier in the year and he also bested Kendrick in the semifinals of the 2009 Tallahassee Challenger.
On Sunday, Kendrick will look to add to his USTA Pro Circuit trophy collection. He is currently fourth on the all-time list with 11 career singles titles.
Two American teenagers will slug it out in the women’s final as 18-year-old CoCo Vandeweghe takes on 17-year-old Kristie Ahn in the first match at 11 a.m. Sunday. Vandeweghe used her big serve to beat Lindsay Lee-Waters, 6-4, 7-6 (7), finally prevailing on her fourth match point in the tiebreaker.
Ahn came back to beat Slovakia ’s Petra Rampre, 1-6, 6-1, 6-2. “I think it was nerves at the start,” said Ahn, who is from Upper Saddle River , N.J. “I was missing by inches. I was just tight, I guess.”
Ahn said it wasn’t until she won the first game of the second set when she started relaxing. “I just told myself one point at a time,” she said. “And I remember what (USTA national coach) Lori McNeil told me before the match: Just try and get your points two at a time.
Like Vandeweghe, this is the furthest Ahn has advanced at a $50,000 event. Ahn made national headlines at the 2008 U.S. Open winning three matches to become the youngest player to qualify for the main draw. She has won three USTA Pro Circuit titles, including a $25,000 event in Hammond , La. , and a $10,000 event in the first pro tournament she played.
She has played Vandeweghe once; the second round of the U.S. Open junior event in 2008 which Vandeweghe went on to win.
Brian Battistone teamed with Nick Monroe to beat Artem Sitak and Leonardo Tavares in the men’s doubles final, 5-7, 6-3, 10-4. Battistone and Monroe were actually beaten in the qualifying tournament but got into main draw at the last minute as lucky losers.
Lee-Waters and Megan Moulton-Levy downed Christina Fusano and Courtney Nagle to win the women’s doubles, 6-1, 6-2.
For more information on the tournament log onto the website at www.usta.com/carsonchallenger.
Saturday’s Men’s Singles Semifinals
Donald Young ( USA ) [4], def. Lester Cook ( USA ), 3-6, 6-1, 6-1
Robert Kendrick ( USA ) [5] def. Peter Polansky (CAN) [8], 7-6 (1), 6-3
Doubles Final
Brian Battistone ( USA ) / Nick Monroe ( USA ) def. Artem Sitak (RUS) / Leonardo Tavares (POR), 5-7, 6-3, 10-4
Saturday’s Women’s Singles Quarterfinals
Coco Vandeweghe ( USA ) def. Lindsay Lee-Waters ( USA ), 6-4, 7-6 (7)
Kristie Ahn ( USA ) def. Petra Rampre (SLO), 1-6, 6-1, 6-2
Doubles Final
Lindsay Lee-Waters ( USA ) / Megan Moulton-Levy [2] def. Christina Fusano ( USA ) / Courtney Nagle ( USA ) [4], 6-1, 6-2
ORDER OF PLAY – SUNDAY
CENTER COURT start 11 am
CoCo Vandeweghe (USA) vs. Kristie Ahn (USA)
Followed by
Robert Kendrick ( USA ) [5] vs. Donald Young ( USA ) [4]
Topics: American Teenagers, Calabasas Challenger, Career Singles Titles, Challenger Finals, Coco Vandeweghe, Eight Times, Grand Slams, Home Depot, Home Depot Center, Lester Cook, Lindsay Lee Waters, Match Point, Open Men, Orlando Fla, Pepperdine, Peter Polansky, Quarterfinals, Robert Kendrick, Seeded Player, Trophy Collection
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